Systems and methods for portable pill dispensers with various dispensing mechanisms

Abstract

Portable pill dispensers are disclosed herein. The portable pill dispenser may include a container configured to house at least one pill therein, a housing attachable to the container, and a dispensing mechanism disposed within the housing. In one configuration, the dispensing mechanism includes an oscillating member configured to dispense the at least one pill from the container.

We claim: 
     
       1. A portable pill dispenser, comprising:
 a container configured to house at least one pill therein; 
 a housing attachable to the container, wherein the housing comprises a dispensing opening; 
 a dispensing mechanism disposed within the housing, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense the at least one pill from the container to the dispensing opening, wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises a rotating barrel comprising at least one cavity configured to receive the at least one pill therein, wherein rotation of the rotating barrel dispenses the at least one pill to the dispensing opening, wherein the rotating barrel comprises a neck portion having a cam surface; 
 a ramp disposed within the housing, wherein the ramp is configured to direct the at least one pill to the dispensing mechanism; and 
 one or more moveable stoppers disposed about the ramp to control the movement of the at least one pill to the dispensing mechanism, 
 wherein the cam surface is in mechanical communication with the one or more stoppers and is configured to move the one or more moveable stoppers between an open position and a closed position as the neck portion rotates. 
 
     
     
       2. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the ramp comprises one or more apertures therethrough for the one or more movable stoppers to pass. 
     
     
       3. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more movable stoppers comprise two spaced apart pins that move up and down along the cam surface as the neck portion rotates. 
     
     
       4. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pill comprises a first pill disposed within the at least one cavity and a second pill blocked within the ramp by the one or more moveable stoppers in the closed position. 
     
     
       5. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 4 , wherein when the rotating barrel rotates, the first pill is dispensed to the dispensing opening and the one or more moveable stoppers are moved from the closed position to the open position causing the second pill to slid down the ramp towards the rotating barrel. 
     
     
       6. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 5 , wherein a backside of the rotating barrel prevents the second pill from exiting the ramp until the rotating barrel makes a full rotation such that the second pill can exit the ramp into the cavity. 
     
     
       7. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 6 , wherein when the rotating barrel fully rotates such that the second pill can exit the ramp into the cavity, the one or more moveable stoppers are moved back into the closed position to prevent other pills from entering the cavity. 
     
     
       8. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a moveable floor disposed within the ramp to control the movement of the at least one pill to the dispensing mechanism. 
     
     
       9. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein the cam surface is in mechanical communication with the moveable floor and is configured to move the moveable floor between the open position and the closed position as the neck portion rotates. 
     
     
       10. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein the moveable floor is cantilevered within the ramp. 
     
     
       11. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 8 , further comprising a tongue in mechanical communication with the movable floor and the cam surface. 
     
     
       12. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one pill comprises a first pill disposed within the at least one cavity and a second pill blocked within the ramp by the moveable floor in the closed position. 
     
     
       13. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein when the rotating barrel rotates, the first pill is dispensed to the dispensing opening and the moveable floor is moved from the closed position to the open position causing the second pill to slide down the ramp towards the rotating barrel. 
     
     
       14. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein a backside of the rotating barrel prevents the second pill from exiting the ramp until the rotating barrel makes a full rotation such that the second pill can exit the ramp into the cavity. 
     
     
       15. The portable pill dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein when the rotating barrel fully rotates such that the second pill can exit the ramp into the cavity, the moveable floor is moved back into the closed position to prevent other pills from entering the cavity. 
     
     
       16. A portable pill dispenser, comprising:
 a container configured to house at least one pill therein; 
 a housing attachable to the container, wherein the housing comprises a dispensing opening; 
 a dispensing mechanism disposed within the housing, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense the at least one pill from the container to the dispensing opening, wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises a rotating barrel comprising at least one cavity configured to receive the at least one pill therein, wherein rotation of the rotating barrel dispenses the at least one pill to the dispensing opening; 
 a ramp disposed within the housing, wherein the ramp is configured to direct the at least one pill to the dispensing mechanism; 
 a moveable floor disposed within the ramp to control the movement of the at least one pill to the dispensing mechanism, 
 wherein when the rotating barrel fully rotates such that the second pill can exit the ramp into the cavity, the moveable floor is moved into a closed position to prevent other pills from entering the cavity.